An Interesting Account of the UK Horse Racing System’s Rich History
The UK horse racing system is probably the most popular form of legalized gambling in the country. It’s patronized by both the nobility and the common folk, and even the Queen herself has been known to wager every now and then. But apart from placing your bets and cheering yourself hoarse over your favorite horse, what do you really know about thoroughbred racing? A trip down memory lane is definitely in order.
The Sport of Kings
The roots of horse racing can be traced back to 4500 BC when the nomads of Central Asia began domesticating horses. Since then, varieties of such have been patronized by all the ancient civilizations from Asia to the Mediterranean as organized sports. For thousands of years, it existed as the sport of kings and the nobility. These days, however, horse racing as we know it is patronized by many for it’s numerous gambling opportunities.
Modern racing can be traced back to the 12th century. Back then, English knights returned from the Crusades riding swift Arab horses. These stallions were then bred with English mares, producing foals that had both speed and endurance. The nobility then started wagering their animals into two-horse races.
It became a professional sport some 400 years later in the reign of Queen Anne. Instead of only two horses running, however, several were made to participate while the spectators wagered. Racecourses soon sprang up all over England like mushrooms, each of them offering large purses to get the best horses. It soon became profitable to own and breed horses. Because of the sport’s rapid growth, a central governing authority was established and still exists to this day - the Newmarket Jockey Club.
The Jockey Club
For over 300 years, the Jockey Club have been writing the rules of horse racing and implementing them. They have defined the quality of races and have since determined which among the races are the ultimate tests of excellence, including the English Triple Crown, the Epsom Derby, and St. Leger Stakes.
The Jockey Club have also played a crucial role in making sure that thoroughbred racing remains just that - with thoroughbred horses competing. James Weatherby, a member of the Jockey Club, was assigned the task of chronicling each horse’s pedigree and family history. To this day, members of the Weatherby family have been meticulously recording the pedigree of every foal born to those original racehorses in the General Stud Book, maintaining the long lineage of thoroughbreds.
Indeed, there’s more to horse racing than just betting and winning. It has a history that’s just as fascinating as any, and one that every serious fan should know about.